All saints day or All souls day?

November 2 for Catholic Church is a day of “services and prayers for the souls in purgatory” 

“All saints day” for some, if not most, offer their prayers for alleviating the sufferings of the “poor souls in purgatory”.

They allegedly say that November 2 is the day for remembering the dead and on this date Catholic priests will be offering “prayers for the dead”, yet in actual practice in most places is on November 1.


Lets take a closer look on how it all began.



All Saints Day

In the east

"The feast of All Saints achieved great prominence in the ninth century, in the reign of the Byzantine Emperor, Leo VI "the Wise" (886–911). His wife, Empress Theophano—commemorated on December 16—lived a devout life. After her death, her husband built a church, intending to dedicate it to her.

When he was forbidden to do so, he decided to dedicate it to "All Saints," so that if his wife were in fact one of the righteous, she would also be honored whenever the feast was celebrated. According to tradition, it was Leo who expanded the feast from a commemoration of All Martyrs to a general commemoration of All Saints, whether martyrs or not."

In the west

“The origin of the festival of All Saints as celebrated in the West dates to May 13, 609 or 610, when Pope Boniface IV consecrated the Pantheon at Rome to the Blessed Virgin and all the martyrs; the feast of the dedicatio Sanctae Mariae ad Martyres has been celebrated at Rome ever since.

The chosen day, May 13, was a pagan observation of great antiquity, the culmination of three days of the Feast of the Lemures, in which the malevolent and restless spirits of the dead were propitiated. Liturgiologists of the Middle Ages based the idea that this Lemuria festival was the origin of that of All Saints on their identical dates and on the similar theme of "all the dead".?

“The feast of All Saints, on its current date, is traced to the foundation by Pope Gregory III (731–741) of an oratory in St. Peter's for the relics "of the holy apostles and of all saints, martyrs and confessors, of all the just made perfect who are at rest throughout the world", with the day moved to November 1.

A November festival of all the saints was already widely celebrated on November 1 in the days of Charlemagne. It was made a day of obligation throughout the Frankish empire in 835, by a decree of Louis the Pious, issued "at the instance of Pope Gregory IV and with the assent of all the bishops", which confirmed its celebration on November 1. The octave was added by Pope Sixtus IV (1471—1484).” source: wikipedia

All Souls Day

The custom of setting apart a special day for intercession for certain of the faithful on November 2 was first established by St. Odilo of Cluny (d. 1048) at his abbey of Cluny in 998. From Cluny the custom spread to the other houses of the Cluniac order, which became the largest and most extensive network of monasteries in Europe. The celebration was soon adopted in several dioceses in France, and spread throughout the Western Church. It was accepted in Rome only in the fourteenth century.

The origins of All Souls' Day in European folklore and folk belief are related to customs of ancestor veneration practised worldwide, through events such as the Chinese Ghost Festival, the Japanese Bon Festival, or the Mexican Day of the Dead. The Roman custom was that of the Lemuria.

In Tirol, cakes are left for them on the table and the room kept warm for their comfort.

In Brittany, people flock to the cemeteries at nightfall to kneel, bareheaded, at the graves of their loved ones, and to anoint the hollow of the tombstone with holy water or to pour libations of milk on it. At bedtime, the supper is left on the table for the souls.

In Bolivia, many people believe that the dead eat the food that is left out for them. In Brazil people attend a mass or visit the cemetery taking flowers to decorate their relatives' grave, but no food is involved. source: wikipedia

Now lets examine just a piece of it…

“The origin of the festival of All Saints as celebrated in the West dates to May 13, 609 or 610, when Pope Boniface IV consecrated the Pantheon at Rome to the Blessed Virgin and all the martyrs; the feast of the dedicatio Sanctae Mariae ad Martyres has been celebrated at Rome ever since. The chosen day, May 13, was a pagan observation of great antiquity,..”

I will not give my opinion here, youre the one to judge!

Its history that says, not just someone. 

But do we really need to do these things for our dead?
Lets read Eccl. 9:5-6 that says,

“The living know they will die, but the dead know nothing. Dead people have no more reward, and people forget them. After people are dead, they can no longer love or hate or envy. They will never again share in what happens here on earth.”

The dead will make no profit anymore or will share in all such activities done by the living because dead knows nothing. Why would you choose to make such efforts while the dead you are been given by that knows nothing…Let not your faith and actions be based on man-made doctrines!

What really happens when a man dies?

“His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish.” Psalms 146:6

Upon cessation of breath, the thoughts of a dying man perish; he returns to his earth, a fulfillment of what God had decreed;

“…Later you will return to the ground, because you were taken from it.
You are dust, and when you die, you will return to the dust." Gen. 3:19

What happens to the spirit of a man upon cessation of breath?

“You will turn back into the dust of the earth again, but your spirit will return to God who gave it.” Eccl. 12:7

What is the proof of the scripture that does not teach the immortality of the soul?

“For our soul is bowed down to the dust; Our body clings to the ground.”
Psalms 44:25

The soul and the body of a dead person cleave to the ground. The soul is nowhere in “purgatory” undergoing purgation!

What happens to the spirit, soul and body?

“God's word is alive and working and is sharper than a double-edged sword. It cuts all the way into us, where the soul and the spirit are joined, to the center of our joints and bones. And it judges the thoughts and feelings in our hearts.” Heb. 4:12

The spirit, soul and body are separated upon the advent of death. The spirit returns to God who gave it (Eccl. 12:7); the soul and body cleave to the ground.

Trinity from Trimurti?

What is Trimurti?

"The Trimurti (English: ‘three forms’; Sanskrit: त्रिमूर्ति trimūrti) is a concept in Hinduism "in which the cosmic functions of creation, maintenance, and destruction are personified by the forms of Brahmā the creator, Vishnu the maintainer or preserver, and Śhiva the destroyer or transformer."These three deities have been called "the Hindu triad" or the "Great Trinity". source: wikipedia

"Trimurti, meaning "having three forms", is the term applied to the three main Hindu gods: Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. This Trimurti or triad represents all aspects of the Supreme Being. The Trimurti is depicted as a single-bodied, three-headed man. This symbolises the fact that the three forms are aspects of one Supreme Being. Nothing in the universe is created, preserved, or destroyed without the mutual agreement and approval of the three aspects of the Supreme Being, for they are unitedly essential for the production and reproduction of all forms of life. source: Gujari.net

Trimurti is depicted as a single bodied, three headed man and symbolizes that there are three forms in one Supreme being... But wait, is there anything like this in Christianity?? 

The Answer? 

Yes! What is it? 

What is trinity? 

It teaches the unity of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as three persons in one Godhead. It also states that God is the Triune God, existing as three persons (wikipedia).

The question is, do you think the Catholic Church copied this concept of God from Hinduism and the result is the so-called trinity that teaches that the father, the son and the holy spirit are equal, the same and one??

Well, you’re the one to judge!

“But Hinduism accepts idol worship with open arms as a simple way of expressing one’s faith, love, and devotion to god.” source: hinduwebsite.com

How about the Catholic Church? 

Do they accepts idol worship? 

They say that the Catholic Church forbids idol worship… 

But what they show is contrary to what they say…

Click here. To see if the Catholic Church really forbids idol worship… 

Abusive friars in the “TRUE CHURCH?”

The Title of the Article ill quote is “THE CHURCH AND THE FRIARS” where it reminds us the abuse of powers and bad acts done by the friars in the past Spanish rule unto the Philippines. Even if I do not post about this, it is still marked in every Filipinos' mind because is a part of the history of the Philippines.

These are just pieces of the content on the said article…

“With the Spanish soldiers of the days of the sixteenth century, actuated by the idea of "territorial expansion," went the representatives of the church, with their ideas of the extension of the kingdom of God and the augmentation of the power of the church.”

“During the latter years of that century Spain was the scene of a somewhat animated and sometimes bitter controversy regarding the scope and functions of the church in the islands of the East.”

“Previous to and during the controversy, mendicant friars had gone to the islands in considerable numbers, though lacking the proper authorization of the rulers of the church. The controversy at home terminated in an arrangement by which the church should receive one tenth of the tributes of the island.”

“Upon the plastic materials of ignorance, credulity and superstition, the priests and friars, many of them men of keen and highly trained minds, have impressed an idea of a religious power greater than that of the state.”

“Most unfortunately for the natives, and also most unfortunately for the church, the power of the priesthood has been greatly abused.”

“It has been directed more distinctly against the extortions and abuses which are admitted to have been exercised by the various religious orders, the Augustinians, the Dominicans and the Franciscans.”

“It is distasteful to comment unfavorably upon any branch of an institution which stands in the world of today as stands the Church of Rome. But the Philippine Islands present a long array of wholly uncontrovertible facts regarding the misrule, the misconduct, and the oppression and extortion of these religious orders against which in past years Filipino revolt has been directed.”

“In his book, the standard work on the subject, Mr. John Foreman covers a number of pages with detailed accounts of monastic oppression and corruption. He also frequently alludes to the great possessions and the gross abuse of the great power held by these monastic orders. It is interesting to note that Mr. Foreman is himself a Catholic. His statements are those of an honest man who is ready to acknowledge the faults he sees.”

“In all the demands for reform made by the Filipinos upon the Spanish government, at the bottom of all revolutions and uprisings, and in all of such demands as the Filipinos have made to the United States, there appears, with unfaltering persistence, as the one thing indispensable in Filipino life and peace, the demand for the expulsion of the friars.”

source: PhilippineHistory.net

For the Full details, click here.

I hope no one among us (especially us Filipinos) would come to deny these facts and defend the friars to what they have done in the past. And I will say that even that article is just a bit of what really happened.

Dr. Jose Rizal even wrote novels like NOLI ME TANGERE and EL FILIBUSTERISMO that exposes how priests and friars in the past abuse their power instead of spreading Catholicism and doing their duties...

"Bro" to our Lord Jesus Christ?

"May bukas pa" is a high rated Philippine drama that shows good values and moral lessons, but because it is very popular among filipinos especially the children, they are influenced then to call our Lord Jesus Christ as "Bro" (a shortcut term for brother), the other term for "Bro" is "Pare/Tol". 

Many may ask, what then is wrong to that?

Well, if you will just analyze it, it was a disrespectful act. I will not make this longer, and i will just give examples...

Think of this... 

Is it okay if while you are talking to a president of a company or a country, is it a good act to call him/her as Pare or Mare? 

Is it okay if while you are talking to a king or a queen, is it a good act to call him/her as Bro or Sis? 

But the fact that if others talking to a king, what will they say before they say something? 

"Your highness..." 

"Your majesty..." 

and etc. 

But then you will call Jesus Christ as "Bro"?!

The point here is that what Catholics and others call our Lord Jesus Christ as "Bro" is a big insult to him especially they are believing that Jesus Christ is God.

Where's the respect anyway?

And the LATEST is...



NOTE: I have no bad feelings for Abs-cbn or to that drama, but to those behind that idea... The thing is, they should first analyze what will be the effect of it to its audience, before they do something like this because they are unaware that they are insulting Jesus Christ especially those who believe that he is God.

Mr. Quirino Sugon Jr., a catholic blogger of Monk's Hobbits said...

Quirino Sugon Jr. said...

This is a good observation and I totally agree. Let us call Jesus as Jesus and not Bro or Kuya Jess. As Paul said to the Philippians:

"Because of this, God greatly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (Phil 2:10)

Homosexual priests and abuse scandals in the "TRUE CHURCH"?

"Widespread controversy erupted in 2001 and the years following over past abuse of teenage boys by some Catholic priests involving inappropriate sexual contact. Worse, bishops typically covered up the episodes and moved the offending priests to new positions. For the most part the Catholic Church quietly cleaned this up internally in the mid 1980s. The vast majority of allegations of abuse that came to light in the 2000s occurred before this time period.

Of course most priests were not involved, but the damage that could be done by even a small number of priests if not properly checked was horrible. It was a case of breaking vows, including vows of celibacy, and committing acts of homosexuality which are condemned by the Church. There were no reports of girls as victims, or nuns as perpetrators.

The stereotype resulting from the scandal portrayed the priests involved as pedophiles, though most of them were pederasts who preyed upon post-pubescent teenage boys.

Due to the scandal, the U.S. Catholic Church has paid out $2.6 billion in abuse claims. The Los Angeles diocese settled claims by 500 victims for $660 million. Similar scandals hit the Catholic Church in other countries, notably Ireland"

source: conservapedia.com

What's this? Is this what Catholics always that their church is holy?

Holy in what?

Not in deeds, ONLY IN NAME.

What about the abuse scandals in same sex? 

oh no, i  wonder, why all of these happens inside the claimed "TRUE CHURCH OF CHRIST"?

Okay. what will they say? that all people sins, that's it? But the thing is, not only one priest did this, but many of them. Even their Pope share his feelings about these...

"During a recent visit to the United States Pope Benedict admitted that he is deeply ashamed of the clergy sex abuse scandal that has devastated the American church. Benedict pledged that they would not be priests in the Roman Catholic Church." source: Wikipedia

Let me show you a few details...

Homosexual Priest (for the full details, click here.)

"Studies into homosexuality and Roman Catholic priests are contested and controversial. Roman Catholic priests take a vow of celibacy at their ordination and as such are called to refrain from all sexual activity. In addition, the official position of the Catholic Church, while calling for the 'respect' of homosexuals, condemns as sinful any active homosexual lifestyle. Nevertheless several studies suggest that there are higher than average numbers of homosexual men (active and non-active) within the Catholic priesthood and higher orders."

source: wikipedia

Catholic sex abuse (for the full details, click here.)

"The term Catholic sex abuse cases refers to a series of scandals in various countries arising from allegations made in the first decade of the 21st century about abuse of minors under the age of 18 by certain Catholic parish priests. The allegations covered events alleged to have occurred over a period ranging from the middle to late 20th century. Allegations have been made against parish priests under diocesan control and members of Roman Catholic religious orders."

source: wikipedia

What do you think was the reason why it all happened in the Catholic Church?

Do you think it is because of the Catholic church's invented doctrine on celibacy of priests?

Gates of Hades shall not prevail

What is the meaning of “and the gates of hades shall not prevail against it”?

Does it mean that the forces of evil or Satan will never destroy the church? Or whatever happens to the church, even if there’s an apostasy and many others, it will still remain?

For us to understand the verse better, lets look to other bible versions:

“…. and death itself will not have any power over it.” Contemporary English bible

“….and the power of death will not be able to defeat it.” New century version

“…. and the forces of Hades will not overpower it.“ Holman Christian standard bible

“….The power of death will not destroy it.” Worldwide English

The gates of hell or hades that will not prevail against the church of Christ is the POWER OF DEATH… Meaning, even if the members of the Church of Christ will die, they shall live again.

Lets read Jn. 11:25 that says

“Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life.
He who believes in me will live, even though he dies;”

And the resurrection of the dead in Christ will be on his second coming,

Let’s read I thess. 4:16-17 that says,

“For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.”

So, this is what the Lord Jesus Christ meant when he said that the powers of death shall not prevail against his church, that the dead Church of Christ members will be resurrected FIRST on judgment day, and that those who will still be alive by then will not die anymore. Together, they will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord Jesus Christ and be him forever. 

Lingap sa Mamamayan on Typhoon Ondoy victims

Thousands receive relief goods from INC's Lingap sa Mamamayan. 

Thousands of families and individuals affected by typhoon Ondoy received relief goods from Iglesia Ni Cristo (Church of Chirst) through its socio-civic project, Lingap Sa Mamamayan.

More beneficiaries are expected to benefit from the relief operations as the INC continues to conduct this activity to extend the much-needed help and assistance to the needy Filipinos, both members and non-members of the Church.

The relief goods include food, clothes and water. The recent typhoon, one of the most devastating calamities that hit the Philippines, claimed lives, left people homeless, destroyed millions of properties and leaving some affected areas still submerged in flood water.

The relief operations were conducted by the Iglesia Ni Cristo in the affected communities in Metro Manila, Rizal and in 10 other provinces including Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Cavite, Laguna and Batangas. 

Civic actions of this nature has been initiated by the late Executive Minister, Bro. Eraño G. Manalo during times of calamities and is being continued by the present Church Administration under the leadership of Bro. Eduardo V. Manalo.

"Hanggang nangangailangan ng tulong ang ating mga mamamayan, hangga't kailangan ng tao, hangga't may kalamidad, nakaagapay ang Iglesia Ni Cristo"

[Whenever help is called for, whenever people is in need, whenever calamities strike, the Iglesia Ni Cristo is always there to assist,]" INC Minister Glicerio B. Santos said.

The relief operations started as early as Sunday, a day after Typhoon Ondoy hit Metro Manila last September 26, 2009. People line up to receive their share of plastic bags containing sardines, noodles, coffee and rice.

In Bayan-bayanan, Marikina, about 2,000 victims of the typhoon received relief goods from Lingap while 2,400 families in Sta. Ana, San Mateo, and Rodriguez in Rizal and some areas in Quezon City including Baging Silangan benefited from the food and clothes distributed by INC.

Relief operations are also conducted by INC in Pampanga particularly in the towns of Guagua, Sasmuan, San Simon, Candaba and Masantol.

At the height of the typhoon, rescue and relief operations were conducted by SCAN International with the officers of the INC in a landslide in Laquios, Arayat Pampanga.

In the province of Bulacan, Lingap is also conducted the towns of Marilao and Lambakin. The same activity was launched in Sta Cruz, Calamba, Dela Paz and San Pedro in the province of Laguna.

Most of the victims of the typhoon lost everything and are in dire need of food, clothes and water.

Despite of the disaster, some of the affected people remain hopeful that they can rise from this tragedy. What is important, according to some is that they are still alive and that their families are safe.

For members of the Church of Christ who were also affected, it is their strong faith in God that gives them hope, strength and courage.

Both members and non-members of the Church expressed their gratitude to the Iglesia Ni Cristo for the timely conduct of Lingap Sa Mamamayan.

Lingap Sa Mamamayan is a socio-civic activity of the Church of Christ that regularly conducts medical and social missions in various parts of the country that caters to both members and non-members of the Church.

The members of the Church are encouraged to communicate to their respective locales for their voluntary interest to provide relief goods to the victims. 

source: floverlyng

Ka Erdy's message

This was the inspiring and powerful message of Bro. Erano Manalo during the INC's 95th anniversary. Thank you Ka Erano Manalo, we will never forget you!

Can faith alone save you?

Proponents of this so called “faith alone concept” almost invariably cite our Lord jesus Christ statement in John 3:16 to support their alleged share in the promised everlasting life. 

Obviously enough, this expedient man conceived formula of salvation emerged from these preachers’ superficial and erroneous interpretation of biblical pronouncements regarding faith and salvation. 

Superficial in the sense that it does away with numerous important and vital commandments of God through Jesus Christ necessary for man’s salvation; and erroneous in that it purports faith alone to be the sole basis of attaining eternal life.

Let us quote in full citation in the book of John:

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” Jn. 3:16

Who is appointed to by the verse as the recipient of the promised everlasting life? Whosoever believes in Christ. Faith, indeed, is indispensable for man’s salvation. But is it enough to believe in Christ to be assured of salvation?

Not by Faith Alone

Can faith alone justify man to be worthy before the sight of god to inherit life eternal? In James 2:24, this is documented:

“You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone.”

It is not faith alone, therefore, that makes man justified before God; to say otherwise is to question the righteousness of God’s justice! What does it mean that man is not justified even if he has faith but has no works? Apostle James states:

“What does it profit, my brethren, if a man says he has faith but has no works? Can his faith save him?” Jas. 2:14

The spirit of James’ discourse can easily be gleaned: faith alone, without works, cannot save man. How far from the truth and salvation are those who propagate and adhere to the so-called “Faith alone concept”? Faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead. (Jas. 2:17)

Does this mean then that faith is devoid of any religious significance in man’s service to God? No!

It is in fact one of the three cardinal virtues mentioned by Paul in his first letter to the Corinthians:

“So faith, hope, love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.”
I Cor. 13:13

Faith by works

But what faith has value for it will certainly and ultimately lead to one’s salvation? In james 2:22, this is stated:

“Seest thou how faith wrought with his works and by works was faith made perfect?”

This is then the kind of faith joined with works that everyone believing in Christ should possess to be worthy of God’s promise: perfect faith. What works should be done so that faith will be perfect? Apostle Paul writes:

“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” Eph. 2:10

Apostle Paul points to the good works which God had foreordained that we should do. What are these good works referred to by Paul? In his letter to the Philippians, the apostle states:

“Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.” Phil.1:11

This is the reason why faith alone is not sufficient for man’s justification before God: he needs to be filled with the fruits of righteousness, unto the glory and praise of God. What is the means prescribed for man to be filled with the fruits of righteousness? Apostle Paul’s statement is clear—“by Jesus Christ” .

What does it mean that “fruits of righteousness” are by jesus Christ? Does it simple mean to believe in Christ and profess him as Lord and savior? In John 15:4-5 this is written:

“Abide in me and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, itself, neither can you, unless you are in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in me, and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.”

But how could man be joined to Christ? Who are truly joined to Christ, as branches of the vine, according to the testimony of the bible? What is the equivalent of Christ being the vine and those joined to him being the branches? 

In Col. 1:18, this is written:

“He is the head of the body, the church...”

Which is the Church referred to by Apostle Paul as the “body” of Christ?

In eph. 5:23, 25, lets read:

“For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the Church: and he is the savior of the body” “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it.”

It is the Church which Christ so dearly loved. Why was it necessary, after all, for Christ to die for the church? Because the church is his body and he himself is its savior. Lets read Acts 20:28 (Lamsa translation) that says:

“Take heed therefore to yourselves and to all the flock over which the holy spirit has appointed you overseers, to feed the church of Christ which he has purchased with his blood.”

The redeeming power of the blood of our Savior is meant only for the Church of Christ (Iglesia ni Cristo). We have to believe in Christ and accept him as a Lord And Savior, but faith alone cannot justify us unto salvation, but it is faith by works of righteousness!